Innocent Sorrow
by maryxrawr
Summary: A young exorcist named Aemi Stronghold finds herself being drawn in by the Earl when someone she loves has gone missing. This story takes place before, during, and after the events in which tragedy strikes her.


Prologue

"You're an exorcist, which means that you are no longer able to be normal," Cross spoke firmly, "If you insist on moping around like a lost puppy, you're only going to find yourself quarantined for even longer."

Aemi watched as the man with long, dark hair fix his glasses before he glared at her once more. She sat on the edge of the bed with her feet tied down; shaking heavily as she tried to wipe the tears away with her bandaged hands. She was trying to hide her fear, but it was so obvious to everyone within the room.

"We can't hold her in here forever, General," one of the finders who had retrieved her had spoken, "She'll starve! She's not eating or sleeping. She just cries all night, screaming about some unexplainable pain."

"Unexplainable pain? Is that the only reason that she's upset?" Cross narrowed his eyes.

"No, sir," an exorcist who had his hand over her forehead spoke softly. He knew just how to calm her when she was upset. He had been watching her for over a month, after all. "She does not wish to be here, General Cross. She's afraid of us. She doesn't want to be an exorcist. She wants to go home to her brother and guardian."

"Well we both know that's not going to happen—what I'm mostly concerned about is her eye!" Cross slammed his hand against the table. "Take her to the medical facility and get her checked up! If she continues to refuse food, force it down her throat if you have to!"

Aemi's long black hair covered her blue eyes as she tried to calm down to the sight of her exorcist guardian, Josiah. He had long, blonde hair and bright blue eyes and a smile that could take Aemi's breath away in a moment. She shook her head though, not wanting to leave the room.

"Aemi," Josiah whispered slightly, "I'll go with you. You won't be alone in there. We need to make sure you're healthy."

Aemi's whimpers soon silenced as her grip to her sheets relaxed and she continued to stare at Josiah with hopeful eyes. He smiled down at her as he moved toward her feet and untied them quickly before grabbing her hand gently to lift her from the bed.

"Just stay close to me and you'll be okay, all right?" he spoke sincerely. She nodded, not saying a word as she followed behind him, holding his hand tightly.

Cross laughed, amused by the fact that she was so easily calmed by this boy.

"She clings to you like a stuffed bear," he spoke, watching the two of them, "I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into."

Josiah nodded, "She's left the only family she ever had… I can at least give her someone to be close to. She has no one to protect her or make her feel safe…"

Aemi understood what they were saying, despite her silent tongue. She chose not to speak because she was afraid to say anything to anyone. She didn't know these people, nor did she appreciate being dragged across the world to an unknown environment. She remembered everything so clearly… back in those days.

_Aemi was walking down the cobblestone street with her brother, Claec, laughing as they ran back to their home where Nagi, their guardian lived. When they arrived, they saw that she was just fixing up dinner. The pictures that were nailed all over the walls filled the room with memories as Aemi looked up to see the parents she never knew. Ayako and Giovanni Stronghold. Ayako was from the city of Edo, Japan herself, but her father, Giovanni was from England, looking for a new life and new adventures. When he met Aemi and Claec's mother, he fell in love immediately and married her._

_It was so unfortunate, the way he had to go. Claec was only two years old, just learning how to escape from his parents' view with his new obsession with running and exploring. Ayako was pregnant with Aemi at the time, and they were having a picnic in the field away from the city. The newly built train tracks were very close though, and Claec was very curious to see what it was like._

_While his parents were reminiscing on the past, he crept away and started to run toward the tracks. It was only moments later when Giovanni had found him, halfway across the field. He started to run with all his power, calling back for his son to come back, but he wasn't listening. A train's whistle was heard and Claec only grew more curious. He was just crossing the tracks, watching as the train grew closer and closer. The rumbling of the wheels against the steel bars frightened him though, and so he immediately started to run once more._

_Giovanni had grown closer to him, but it wasn't fast enough. Not paying attention to the train at all, he tried to cross the tracks, tripping over the bar as his boot laces got caught. It was too late to react. By the time he had gotten himself back up, the train was slamming into his body. Giovanni watched this in terror, and Ayako, on the other side screamed and went into hysterics._

_After the funeral for her husband was over, Ayako went into a deep depression. She barely was able to take care of Claec on her own, so she moved in with Nagi. She was the nurse living in the area. She spent most of her days at the graveyard, mourning her lost husband. That was when an ominous man appeared to her._

_He had a smile as wide as his entire face, round glasses and he was large with a top hat. He had told her how he was able to bring back the person she lost and loved so deeply. He was telling her everything she wanted to hear. Ayako was so enthralled with what he was explaining; she agreed to do everything that he had told her to do. She immediately stood up and reached her hands far up in the air, screaming the name of her husband loudly._

_It was the biggest mistake that she could have ever made. Little did she know that she was falling into a trap as her husband's soul began to entrap itself within her. Little did she know that the man who was talking to her was the Millennium Earl. Still pregnant with her daughter, Aemi, she wound up getting that child cursed. She was not cursed in a way that was obvious to anyone though. It was only known to those who were loyal to the Earl. No one knows the severity of the curse, or what it has done. No one even knows the true story about what happened that night, except for Claec, who watched it from the side._

_When Aemi was born, Ayako was especially silent and depressed. She acted lifeless and didn't eat or sleep. Claec knew why of course, but never had the heart to say anything. He did everything in his power to protect Aemi from her, knowing that she would soon be too helpless to do anything. Only a month after the birth of Aemi, Ayako had gone missing._

_Five years have passed since that day and Aemi sat with her brother, eating their rice and fishcakes. Nagi was silent that day because she was running down with a cold. It was noon, and Aemi and Claec wanted to head over to the ruins from an ancient temple just outside the town._

_When they finished their food, they headed over immediately, admiring the architecture of the temple. They walked around, seeing pillars shattered on the floor and different types of buildings that were broken down. Aemi found she was especially curious about what she thought to be a piece of jewelry that was a dark gold in color. It looked to be a bracelet attached to a ring. She picked it up quickly and exclaimed for Claec to come quick so she could show him. Putting it on, she waved her hand at Claec, but something happened she did not expect. The piece of jewelry reacted to her touch and started to glow with energy. She grew nervous, unsure what to do. She tried to wave it off, but it then released a laser of blue light toward Claec and his eyes widened as he barely dodged it. She immediately screamed, pulling it off, backing away from it until she then backed into a boy who looked about twice her age. She turned around, seeing that he had long, blonde hair and bright blue eyes with a stern expression._

_"I'm sorry, young one. We have to take you away. Say goodbye to your brother."_

_She immediately turned to her brother, who stood there in silence and confusion as he tried to step forward._

_"Stay away from her!" another man pointed a staff at him, "She's of our custody now! Go home!"_

_"She's my sister!" Claec screamed, "Give her back! Give me my sister!"_

_"I apologize for what I'm about to do," the blonde haired boy spoke as he then picked up Aemi. He cuffed her hands behind her back before pulling her over his shoulder as he began to run as quickly as possible out of the area. The other man followed as Aemi was heard screaming into the distance._

_Aemi didn't remember anything after that until she had woken up, tied to a bed, screaming for her life. This went on for months. The only person she trusted enough to touch her and talk to her was Josiah, who she only spoke to once._

_"I know I've asked you a hundred times before, but what's your name?" he asked._

_"…Aemi…" she murmured before hiding under her pillow once more._

_There was a long silence as Josiah stared at her sympathetically, "Aemi… what a beautiful name."_

When they arrived to the medical facility, it was revealed that there was nothing wrong with her. Why she was having a "burning sensation" was a mystery. Her tantrums and fear continued on for the next six months, until she was malnourished and weak. Finally, she was able to come to submission when Josiah had pleaded for her to eat. He promised to stay in the room if she slept. He did this until her strength was back up, and she was finally comfortable enough with him to stop being afraid of where she now lived.

"She's still the same little girl who's afraid of the world, Josiah! She's emotionally unstable—who knows what she might do with her weapon if we allow her to be released from quarantine!" Cross shook his head.

"Please, General, I trust her deeply when she says she is ready to begin her training!" Josiah begged.

"Why is it that you so deeply care for this child?" he raised his eyebrow.

"She's only a child… she doesn't know what she's up against. She reminds me of my—" Josiah stopped himself, "…of my sister, Amalia…"

Cross was quiet for a long moment.

"Amy… my dear sister…" Josiah whispered to himself before shaking it off, "Please, General, allow her to begin training!"

"Silence! If you are so assured that she is ready, you can take her on as your pupil, Josiah! You seem to be the only person she trusts! So if you do not want this as your new mission, she will continue her quarantine!"

"…I will gladly take this as my mission, General. I will not let you down."

"Yes, yes, let's only hope so…" Cross sighed, "Now be gone and begin her training."

The training was long and hard. It lasted for over six years until Aemi was trusted enough to continue training without surveillance. Even then, Josiah continued to watch over her. He was very fond of her and felt that she was like a sister to him.

Aemi grew to only be close to Josiah himself, and no one else. She felt no need to talk to anyone other than him, because she did not like people. She was very antisocial and found herself to be alone when not with Josiah. Still, she accepted that the European Branch of the Black Order was her home.

Aemi turned 14 on December 6th. Josiah was turning 21 very soon. He watched as his young pupil was accepted as a Level Two Exorcist, and he was very proud of her. For the past few years, he himself was considered a Level Three. There was a lot of talk about a cursed boy that was coming to the Order though.

He sat in the library, across from Aemi as they were reading when a boy who looked about the same age as Aemi, if not older walked up to them with a smile across his face. He had snow white hair, blue-gray eyes and a scar across his left eye. He was holding his hand out to Aemi as he began to talk.

"Hello! I'm new to the Order. I'm Allen Walker. What's your name?" he nodded.

Aemi looked to Josiah for help because she was unsure what to say. She pursed her lips for a long moment before awkwardly taking his hand, "Um… I'm Aemi Stronghold…"

"Aemi… what a beautiful name," Allen nodded.

At that moment, Aemi felt something inside of her tense up. She let go immediately as she dug her face back into her book, trying to avoid his gaze as her cheeks went red. She felt as though she had heard someone say that before, and it haunted her. She then remembered it quite clearly. Nine years ago, when she had first told Josiah her name, which was what he, had said as well.

_"Aemi… what a beautiful name."_


End file.
